Graham: Trump hit for ‘sportswashing’ at NFL game
In a recent column for The Washington Post, sports columnist Barry Svrluga took aim at former President Donald Trump’s appearance at a Washington Commanders game against the Detroit Lions, labeling it as a form of “sportswashing.” Svrluga argued that Trump’s presence at the game served as a distraction from pressing national issues, particularly the ongoing government shutdown affecting many in Washington, D.C. He highlighted the irony of Trump smiling in the owner’s box while citizens struggled with the fallout of a political standoff, which he attributed to Democratic resistance. This commentary reflects a broader sentiment among some commentators who see Trump’s engagement with sports as a way to divert attention from his administration’s controversies and failures.
Svrluga’s critique also touched on the cultural tensions surrounding sports and politics, particularly in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests by NFL players, including Colin Kaepernick, against racial injustice. He lamented that many have seemingly forgotten Trump’s contentious relationship with these issues during his presidency, suggesting that the former president’s attendance at sporting events is an attempt to rehabilitate his image. Meanwhile, Michael Rosenberg from Sports Illustrated echoed this sentiment, stating that while Trump may continue to show up at NFL games, the league itself is distancing itself from him. Rosenberg noted that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s commitment to diversity initiatives stands in stark contrast to Trump’s past actions and rhetoric, indicating a shift in the league’s approach to engaging with political figures.
The discourse surrounding Trump’s involvement in sports is emblematic of the polarized landscape in American politics, where appearances and actions are often scrutinized through partisan lenses. Critics argue that Trump’s presence at sporting events is a calculated move to maintain relevance and support among his base, while supporters may view his attendance as a genuine connection with American culture. This ongoing debate highlights the complex interplay between sports, politics, and public perception, illustrating how figures like Trump can both influence and be influenced by the cultural zeitgeist. As the conversation continues, it raises important questions about the role of sports in society and the responsibilities of public figures in addressing or evading pressing social issues.
Even the sports pages can be a platform for anti-Trump editorializing. After the Washington Commanders were drubbed by the Detroit Lions, the front page of The Washington Post sports section carried a piece by columnist Barry Svrluga trashing Trump’s appearance at the game, and in the Fox broadcast booth. He called it “sportswashing.”
“What played out Sunday was a microcosm of Trump’s presidency and his relationship with American sport. It’s sportswashing, using these games to distract from the important matters of our times,” he wrote. There was “something rich about Trump sitting and smiling in the box of Commanders owner Josh Harris and his partners … while the District and so many of its citizens struggled with the shutdown.”
This Democrat rag can’t acknowledge that the shutdown was created and dragged out by recalcitrant Democrats. They aren’t factored into the plight of those struggling D.C. denizens. Who was holding out, keeping them from getting their food stamps and paychecks?
Svrluga was angry that people had forgotten how Trump was on the wrong side of the culture war in 2020 when NFL players knelt in protest during the National Anthem against “social injustices” like police brutality. Liberals still can’t imagine that many NFL fans didn’t appreciate what felt like a double-middle-finger salute to the flag, or that many didn’t like quarterback Colin Kaepernick wearing pig socks to mock the cops.
Riots and murders after George Floyd’s death in police custody were blended into a “reckoning” by Svrluga: “Five years after the country endured what was framed in the moment as a racial reckoning — in which police practices were questioned, scrutinized and in some cases overhauled — the city that the Commanders represent is being monitored by National Guard soldiers, the American military overseeing American citizens at Trump’s behest.”
Somehow, this columnist can’t abide the president noticing that the nation’s capital has long had a violent-crime problem.
He wasn’t alone. Michael Rosenberg at Sports Illustrated proclaimed, “Trump can’t quit the NFL, but the NFL has quit him.” Really? “Yes, most owners will still support him, as most billionaires do. But the NFL itself is providing a blueprint for how to tussle with the President: Don’t.”
Rosenberg gushed over how NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did not dismiss his chief diversity officer Jonathan Beane.
Trump has visited a pile of recent sporting events, including the Yankees game on Sept. 11, the U.S. Open men’s final, and the Ryder Cup golf competition.
Surely, this round might please sports fans, showing Trump enjoys what they enjoy. If a Democrat attended all these things, Svrluga and Rosenberg would probably adore it as deftly displaying a common touch. It wouldn’t be “sportswashing” bad news. Everything magically ends up as good news in the Preferred Party.
Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org.
